Estes Park Archives - Our Changing Lives

10 Miles Above the Trees on Trail Ridge Road

Trail Ridge Road is the name of the heavily traveled highway that passes through Rocky Mountain National Park. Aptly nicknamed "Highway to the Sky", this oversized two lane road covers 48 miles between Estes Park and Grand Lake in Colorado. This road includes more than 10 miles of drive above the tree line (about 11,500 feet). This allows travelers a sweeping view of the mountain range surrounding them. Its highest point peaks at 12,183 feet above sea level, making this the highest road in any national park. The Trail Ridge Road began as a path used by native Americans to cross between their home [...]

South by Southwest – Rocky Mountain Road Trip Part 3

Our Rocky Mountain Road Trip had us leaving Yellowstone Park after just a couple of days. We felt as though we barely scratched the surface of what there is to see. We made a note to ourselves that there would have to be a return trip at some time in the future. For now we aimed our car South by Southwest toward Grand Teton National Park. The rolling hills welcomed us, as we barreled down the highway. Soon we caught our first glimpse of the majestic mountain range. We were on our we to the third leg of our Rocky Mountain journey. (Read Part Two [...]